How do I define my hobby of running? I’m serious enough that my “casual runner” friends don’t like to run with me because I’m “too fast.” But I don’t have sponsors, a nutrition/strength/running coach, or spend half of my year in Colorado to train.
I’m serious-ish.
This is a large contingent of runners. To our non-running or casual running friends and coworkers, we may be their “crazy running friend,” boring them with tales of long runs, speed workouts, and races from afar. But within the running community, we are mediocracy. Maybe we can squeak out an age group placing at a local race, but we hang in the 30-50 percentile bracket in bigger races. We run well, but not too well.
Running has been a part of my life for seven years. It’s taken the main stage for the last four years, since training for my first marathon. After racing the 2016 Philadelphia Marathon, I knew I wanted to qualify for the Boston Marathon – a goal I earned in the fall of 2018 (though, tragically, a few seconds shy of actually earning a spot on the starting line this time). Setting this goal led me to serious-ish running.
This is a place for serious-ish runners. Front to mid-packers who train hard, and race hard, but don’t win. We’re out here, paying our own way and boring our friends with the details.
Here’s a bit about me…
I’m a millennial. Not the fringy kind – I was born in the heart of this demographic (1991) and am guilty of many millennial pit falls. However, don’t believe everything you read on the internet – we’re not ruining the world.
I live in my hometown – Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It’s a traditionally agricultural community with a growing urban epicenter – Lancaster City. Though I grew up in a suburban/rural community, I now reside within Lancaster City and love the lifestyle that comes with urban living.
I didn’t start running until college. Here’s the short version – my mom was right, I could ride a bike for 20 miles, and if she can run her first half-marathon at 40, I could run one too. (It should be noted that I derive my competitive nature from my mother, mentioned above.)
I am a dog LOVER. I’m not like a regular dog-mom. I’m a cool dog-mom. My doggo, Piper, is almost eight years old. She’s a 25 pound Plott Hound, Dachshund mix with 80 pounds of attitude. She loves hiking and trail running, but tolerates short romps around the city.
Laura M. Brenner 